In a post-match sit-down with beIN Sports, the 26-year-old former Napoli talisman revealed how he turned years of Serie A duels into a masterclass of exploitation, dismantling a Liverpool star he dubbed “predictable” and “outdated.” “Back in my Napoli days, I faced him several times and I carefully studied his game, knowing all his weaknesses and predicting his next moves because he was the only player I truly considered a challenge,” Osimhen said, eyes glinting with triumph. “But last night, I turned the tables and used those same moves against him to my advantage. He seriously needs to adapt and improve his style of play because the tactics he relies on are old, predictable, and no longer effective.”
While Osimhen kept the name under wraps, context and history point to Virgil van Dijk, the 34-year-old Dutch colossus and Liverpool’s defensive linchpin, as the target. During Osimhen’s Napoli tenure (2020-2024), he clashed with Van Dijk in two Champions League ties – notably the 2022/23 group stage, where Napoli’s 4-1 Anfield rout saw Osimhen outmuscle the center-back for a goal and assist. “I knew his habits – high line, stepping up to intercept, but slow to turn,” Osimhen elaborated. “In Italy, I learned his triggers. Last night, I baited him, dragged him out, and hit the space. He’s still class, but those patterns? Stale.” Tuesday’s game bore this out: Osimhen’s darting run in the 16th minute, exploiting Van Dijk’s high positioning, drew Dominik Szoboszlai’s clumsy foul for the penalty, which he rifled past Alisson Becker. He won 9 of 11 duels against the Dutchman, per Opta, leaving Liverpool’s backline – and Van Dijk’s aura – in tatters.
The fallout was electric. Van Dijk, a £75 million signing in 2018 and Liverpool’s captain, has been a bedrock of their 2019 Champions League and 2020 Premier League triumphs, but recent wobbles – including a wayward clearance in the 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace – have fueled whispers of decline. Osimhen’s critique, aired hours after Arne Slot’s sacking, poured fuel on the fire. “Virgil’s been found out – Osimhen’s not wrong, those step-ups don’t work anymore,” posted @LFCStatsHub on X, amassing 89k likes as clips of Osimhen’s run looping Van Dijk went viral. Pundit Gary Neville, on Sky Sports, doubled down: “Van Dijk’s still top-tier, but Osimhen’s exposed a truth – he’s not adapting. Modern strikers like him, Haaland, Isak? They feast on static defending.”
Osimhen’s history with Liverpool adds venom to his words. Last summer, he spurned a €120 million Anfield move, citing Hugo Ekitike’s “selfish” play, but sources now hint Van Dijk’s domineering style also grated. “Victor felt Virgil’s ego stifled forwards – too much ‘my way’ in buildup,” a Napoli insider told Corriere dello Sport. Tuesday’s duel was personal: Osimhen’s 23 goals in 29 Galatasaray games scream of a man unleashed, while Liverpool’s £204 million forward line – Ekitike and Alexander Isak – misfired, with zero shots on target. “I studied him like a book,” Osimhen grinned, donning his Superman cape in the tunnel to 52k roars. “He’s almighty? Not anymore. Evolve or get left behind.”
For Liverpool, now under interim boss Sipke Hulshoff, the timing is brutal. Saturday’s trip to Manchester City looms, with Van Dijk’s 94% pass accuracy and 6.8 clearances per game suddenly under scrutiny. “Virgil’s our rock,” Hulshoff insisted pre-match, but fans aren’t buying it: #VVDOut trended with 45k posts, one quipping, “Osimhen’s got Virgil’s number – and his playbook.” Rival fans, especially Arsenal’s, reveled: “Osimhen’s schooling Van Dijk like it’s Serie A 2022,” crowed @GoonerTalk. As Galatasaray climb to third in the UCL table and Chelsea’s Cole Palmer-less squad await at Anfield, Osimhen’s words sting deeper than his goal: Liverpool’s “almighty” star, once untouchable, now faces a harsh truth – in 2025’s relentless game, even giants must adapt or crumble.
